Full Circle
by cerberus angel
Summary: When Fairy Tail along with the other guilds in Earthland are decimated by Acnologia, Zax Dreyar travels into the past to stop it from happening with only a leather bound book, his mother Lucy left, to guide him. The past becomes the present. The future is unwritten. (LaLu)
1. Prologue

AN: This is my first ever Fairy Tail fanfic so I'm pretty nervous about posting this. This idea has been bouncing around my mind ever since I took a break from watching "Fairy Tail" and watched "K" and read the manga (that was the prequel for it) before going back to marathoning "Fairy Tail". There was a line from the "K" manga that stuck in my head and continued to pop out whenever I watched "Fairy Tail" (I will use this specific line throughout the fic and it's the first line the fic opens with). Not to mention that the passed two weeks I've been reading Laxus x Lucy fanfics if I'm not watching the anime. So I've decided to try writing one. I apologize before hand if it's horrible -_-;. Even so I have my fingers crossed that you will like it or that it will at least catch your interest.

* * *

"_This is a story full of happiness."_

_Small hands boldly clutched the sides of an old, weathered down, black leather bound book that had once seen better days. The beginning white pages have yellowed with age while the white pages at the back still looked fresh and crisp. Bigger and feminine hands gently held onto the book above the small hands. A little boy with blonde hair and honey brown eyes sat on the lap of his mother, who had blonde hair a shade more prominent than his own. But her eyes were the same color as his. _

"_Is it?" He asked with a hint of shyness, but his eyes echoed with open curiosity. _

_His mother placed her chin on his head as he leaned back into her. "Hmmm…" _

_He craned his neck back in order to look up at his mom. "Is this really a story of happiness?" _

"_I like to think it is." Her lips curved into a smile. "Zack Drefilia fights for happiness."_

"_His own happiness?"_

"_No… he fights for the happiness of his nakama… his guild." Her eyes gazing over with a faraway look. "The happiness of his family."_

"_Like what you and otousan do for Fairy Tail?"_

"_Yes," She pressed her lips against his temple gracing it with an affectionate kiss. "It's what everyone does in Fairy Tail." _

"_I wanna do what you and otousan do!" He grinned at her. "I wanna be part of Fairy Tail and fight alongside my nakama!" He let go of the book and turned to face her. His small hands clutched onto her arms. "I'm going to be the next guild master and protect everyone like otousan!"_

"_Oi Zax!"_

_The little boy look toward the doorway of his room surprised to see his father standing there with a cocky grin. His figure almost covered the entire doorway. He had the same shade of blond hair as Zax, but his eyes were grey with a distinctive lightning bolt-shaped scar on his right eye. A scar that Zax was always in awe of and wanted one just like it. _

"_You have a lot of training to do and years of experience to earn if you want to catch up to me, small fry."_

_Zax hopped off of his mother's lap and his bed to dash at his father. A heartbeat later his world was turned upside down as his father lifted him in the air and flipped him upside down._

"_Laxus," His mother called out as his father entered the room. "Be gentle with him."_

"_When aren't I?" Laxus dropped Zax on the bed and chuckled as the boy bounced twice on the bed before sitting up grinning as if nothing happened. For a moment his son reminded him of a certain flame head. _

"_Do you really think I can?" _

"_Sure," He said reaching for the leather bound book his wife held protectively in her hands. "Once I reach jiji's age you'll be at that level."_

"_Hey!" Zax protested but grew quiet when his mother pulled him into her arms. He looked at her worried before looking at his father to see him flip to the last page and all the playfulness evaporated. _

"_Lucy." Laxus placed the book on Zax's bed. "Are you going to read it to him?"_

"_I think it's for the best, don't you?"_

_Laxus took a seat on the bed before sighing and laying on his back. "If I had it my way I would take the both of you and all of Fairy Tail to a place no one can find us. A place where we would be able to live and not simply survive. Right now Edolas seems like a very idealistic place to live in."_

"_Edolas?" Zax asked curiously._

"_I'm going to let your okaasan explain that one." He smirked at Lucy. "Not only is she good at writing stories but she's good at telling them."_

_Lucy simply raised an eyebrow at him._

"_Come on Lucy, it's only fair. I didn't get to go nor did I have an Edolas counterpart."_

"_I swear you sound as bad as Gildarts did when he found out." Lucy teased him pinching his cheek._

* * *

"Zax…" He heard someone calling to him. "Zax." A warm hand pressed gently against his shoulder while another ran through his hair. "You have to wake up."

"Puu-puun!"

His eyes snapped open as he felt a paw press against his cheek. Sky blue eyes looked down at him and a curtain of pink hair blocked out the world around him. That was until a golden hornlike nose slid through the pinks strands almost poking him.

"Puu…"

Zax grabbed the short, strout white creature that stared at him with bland eyes, but the smile that curved on its lips showed how happy he was to see him awake. "Hey Plue."

"Puu-puun!" He rubbed his cheek against Zax's, his small body trembling.

"I hope you behaved good with Ember." He said looking back at the girl that hovered above him.

"When doesn't he?" She smirked at him. "I was reluctant to wake you." She straightened her posture giving him room to move.

Zax sat up and watched Plue go to his duffel bag and pulled out a big lollipop. "How come?"

"You were smiling in your sleep." She leaned her head against his shoulder. Her pink hair spilled onto his chest and back marking him as hers. "I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time."

"Hmmm…" He thought back to dream and the emotions he felt. He thought of his mother who had been taken from him too soon, whose death had marked the beginning of the end. He thought of his father who fought along side his great grandfather to the bitter end to protect the guild. He thought of Levy, who lost Gajeel and their son Mavicks and Juvia and her daughter Nix who lost Gray. Of Freed and his daughter Lia who lost Mirajane and Evergreen who lost Elfman.

There were less than twenty fairies still left.

Acnologia, the Black Dragon in the Book of Apocalypse had come after them time and time again, and yet they continued to survive. They now only had one chance to make it end.

"Nix did a good job dyeing it." Ember carded her hand though his now dark red hair.

"I don't care how it came out so long as the blond doesn't show anymore." Zax glanced at her. "Are you going to be standing guard outside with Natsu and Erza outside?"

"Yep and dad has Blickslow, Cana, and Gildarts as back up. Sting, and Rogue should be arriving shortly with the rest of the surviving members of Sabertooth. Happy and Carla are our eyes in the sky."

"You'll be careful."

"I'll try my best." Although she believed that being careful was not an option, after all, this would be their last stand.

And that was the closest thing he would get as a promise from her. His hand sought hers and twined their fingers together.

"Zax!"

He looked toward the center of the guild to see Wendy, Levy, Freed, and Lia done with the magic circle they had been working on for the past few hours.

"We're ready." Freed called out to him calmly.

Zax let Ember's hand go as he stood up and grabbed the duffel bag, Plue had been trying to pull toward him, and with his other hand lifted Plue up before placing him on his shoulder. "I'll come back to you." He whispered low enough for her ears only. "I'll find you."

"I'll be waiting for you." Ember whispered to him just as low when she stood up before exiting the guild.

Wendy walked up to him and cupped his cheek. "Even with different color of hair you have Laxus' nose and cheek bones and Lucy's eyes and lips. You truly are their son." She smiled at him gently. "They would have been so proud of you."

"I haven't been doing a good job with keeping this guild alive. I don't see how they would be proud of me. Father said he wanted us to live, but we're not living… we're just surviving."

"Isn't that why you're going into the past? To give us another chance at living."

"We don't know if it will work."

"Have faith Zax." She placed her hand over his eyes. "It will all work out in the end."

He gasped feeling something press into his eyes for moment before the feeling was gone. "What did you—"

"Contacts." She placed a small plastic container in his hands. "It changes the color of your eyes. I'm giving you another pair in case of anything. When you use the eye magic Freed cast on you it will burn through the contacts, so please try to remember to take them off before using it."

"Arigatou Wendy."

She pulled him into a brief hug before shoving him lightly toward Freed's direction. "You must hurry. I can feel his presence, he's coming."

Zax covered the distance between him and the once leader of the Raijinshuu.

"Are you ready?"

He nodded.

"Do you remember what you have to do?"

"Talk to jiji and explain the situation to him. Then find a way to kill Acnologia before it targets Fairy Tail or any of the other guilds."

"Precisely." He placed his hand on Zax's head not caring that the younger man was taller than him. He was now as tall as his father and yet he didn't have the rough exterior like him. The young man standing before him looked more approachable than his father ever had. Freed wondered if perhaps that had to do with Lucy. The thought of Laxus and Lucy filled him with bittersweet nostalgia because they reminded him on simpler times. When the death of a nakama was nonexistent in their guild. When their family had been whole. "Make sure to keep your identity hidden by—"

"By keeping the rune you engraved into my arm powered by magic so the dragon slayers from the past can't identify my scent and the dye is also magically enhance. So long as I have magic the color will remain. If at any moment my magic runs out my hair will turn back to blond and in that case I will have to shave it off."

"Hmmm. I did not think of the shaving it off part. I was thinking more along the lines of you trying to hide it, but it's a very sound plan." He ruffled his hair. "I approve."

"Thank you uncle Freed." Zax smiled at the man who was once best friends with his father and was there for him and his father when his mother died. He had been there for him when his great grandfather and father died and all he wanted was revenge. He calmed him and made him see reason. Zax didn't doubt that if it weren't for Freed being there for him, he would have died long ago. "I won't let you down."

Freed let him go with a heavy heart.

Standing in the middle of the magic circle was Levy. She held a familiar leather bound book. "Lucy would have wanted you to keep this with you." She held out the book to him.

"Why?" He grabbed it with uncertain hands. "It doesn't have an ending."

"That's because the ending hasn't been written."

Her words shook him to the core. They were the same words his mother said to him after reading the last sentence that had been written.

_Zack had one last chance to get it right._

"Let the book guide you." Her hands grasped his head and tugged him down.

His heart faltered a beat when she pressed her lips against his temple like his mother had years ago. His throat clogged up and he squeezed his eyes shut when they began to burn. "Aunt Levy." He whispered.

"Have faith in yourself Zax." She whispered to him before giving his temple another kiss and letting go.

He opened his eyes to see Levy's eyes glistening with tears.

"It's time."

Zax nodded and set Plue down as Levy moved to step outside the magic circle.

"Puu-Puun!" Plue waved at him and gave a small hop before wobbling over to the outer circle.

He took out the celestial keys that once belonged to his mother and summoned for Horologium. Zax took a moment to gaze fondly at the tall brown grandfather clock that stood before him. He remembered as a little boy his mother making him climb inside of him when the fighting in Fairy Tail became extremely chaotic and she couldn't get him out in time.

No words had to be said between them for Horologium already knew why he needed him, but that still didn't ease the guilt in his eyes.

"I understand Zax," Horologium told him calmly. "Lucy would have done the same thing. It was an honor to have served you as well as her."

"Zax!" Wendy called out and it was then he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Fear pooled in the pit of his stomach as he felt the presence of Acnologia.

He pushed it back as he closed his eyes and remembered what Capricorn taught him about accessing his power. Zax took a deep breath feeling the air around him, the wood under his feet that pulsed like a heartbeat, the life force of those around him. A gust of wind began to surround him as all the zodiacs opened their gates and stood on the outer circle surrounding him.

Their bodies began to glow as did Horologium's and Plue's.

"When you arrive in the past show us what you know is going to happen!" Loke yelled.

Zax's eyes snapped open to see their bodies becoming white light and in that light he saw a flash of yellow. _Otousan's lightning_, he thought to himself a moment before there was a loud BOOM!

"_My family is Fairy Tail! I will crush my family's enemies!" _His father's words echoed in his mind.

Just like his father he wanted to destroy those who would dare hurt his nakama, his family, but first he had to guarantee their safety. He wanted Fairy Tail to live! The pulse under his feet grew stronger. The mark of his guild that was on the back of his right shoulder began to grow warm and pulse with the same beat under his feet. _The heart of Fairy Tail! _He thought remembering what his grand jiji once said. That the heart of Fairy Tail resided in the guild. _Please give me the strength I need to protect my family! _

"Open the Gates of Time!" Horologium raised his hands to the sky.

"Zax!"

He looked to the side to see Evergreen holding her right hand up with point finger pointing toward the ceiling and her thumb sticking out to the side forming an L shape. It was the Fairy Tail hand sign, the sign the fairies used to acknowledge one another.

"Remember that you're our nakama!" She yelled. Lisanna, Wendy, Levy, Juvia, Nix, Lia, and Freed were also showing him the sign.

"You're our family!" Lisanna yelled, then followed by Wendy, "Wherever you are we will be watching over you!"

"You will never be alone!" Freed called out him.

This time Zax didn't bother to stop the tears that slid down his face as he showed them the same sign for he knew this would be the last time he would see them. The next time he did they would no longer know him and the memories he shared with them will be nonexistent to them. To them he would be a stranger.

"_It'll be okay."_ He heard a gentle voice say in his mind and looked over Evergreen's shoulder to see the first Master, Mavis standing there. Even as Acnologia roared outside the guild a smile curved on her lips. _"After all…"_ The fear and worry he had been feeling seemed to leave him.

"_This is a story of full happiness." _

His mother words echoed in his mind and resounded in his heart as Horologium vanished completely into a blazing white light that engulfed him and the entire guild as it shot to the heavens. Acnologia roared as it was blinded by the light.

The year was X813 when time stopped and then just as suddenly began to reverse unraveling the only life Zax Dreyar ever knew.

* * *

AN: I'm really hoping the prologue caught your interest. Please be kind and drop a review telling me what you think so far. Should I continue it or drop it?

Before I forget to mention, the cover I'm using for this fic features a fan art of Lucy and Laxus. I found it on google images, but wasn't able to find the name of the person who did it. So if you know please tell me who it is so I can give them proper credit. The background image is of the Fairy Tail guild and the red haired anime character that is featured in the cover is Suoh Mikoto from "K". He's the first person that came to mind when I pictured Lucy and Laxus' son minus the red hair of course. ^^


	2. Chapter I

The year was X793 and the day was July 8.

It appeared to be like any other day in the Fairy Tail guild. Natsu would pick a fight with Gray and it would escalate from there on to include Elfman and any other guild mate that was looking for a fight.

Except this day would be different. For as Natsu jumped into the air to throw a flame punch at Gray a bright lighted flashed within the guild blinding almost everyone in the room for a few seconds. A figure of a young man appeared in front of Gray and Natsu couldn't pull back his punch in time.

His fiery fist connected with the jaw of the new arrival and sent him flying toward a wall. The impact created a crater on the wall. His body lay suspended in air against the wall before he crumbled to the floor like a rag doll.

"Natsu!"

"Lucy I didn't mean to! It was an accid—" He wasn't able to finish what he was saying for Erza sent him flying across the guild.

Gray quickly ran to the new arrival and tried to help him up. "Hey, are you okay?"

The young man looked at him surprised for a moment before there was wonder followed by pain. Then in a blink of an eye his expression became blank. "I'm fine." He pulled away from the ice mage.

"Hi there."

* * *

Zax felt the air rush out of his lungs at the sound of his mother's voice. A voice he hadn't heard for ten years. His heart felt heavy, a wave of bittersweet nostalgia hit him as he turned his gaze to her. She looked younger, but her voice still had that softness to it that soothed him.

"Are you feeling okay?"

He nodded because his voice refused to cooperate. His throat felt like it was clogged up.

"I'm Lucy Heartfilia." She held out her hand. Her eyes a gentle honey brown and her smile welcoming.

He reached for her hand almost frightened to touch her, thinking that she might disappear if he did. But the moment his hand touched hers she clasped on it with a firm grip. He cleared his throat. "It's nice to meet you."

"And you are…" She smiled at him teasingly.

It was a smile he was well acquainted with considering his mother had been much like his father in which the both of them shared a great liking in teasing him whenever they could. Not wanting to keep her waiting he said the first name that popped into his mind as he continued to look at the young lady who one day become his mother. "Zack…"

"Zack…"

"Zack… Drefilia."

"Your name is Zack Drefilia?" she asked letting go of his hand.

It was then he realized the name he had given, but couldn't take it back so instead he nodded feeling awkward.

"Come on Lucy, be nice to the poor guy." Gray cut in. "He just got punched by Natsu and slammed his head against the wall. You can't blame him for being a bit slow with the responses right now."

"You're right." She looked worried. "Perhaps Wendy should take a look at you."

Zax shook his head. "I'm fine." Before he could say anything his duffel bag and leather bound book were shoved into his chest. He was confounded as he grabbed the items and met Natsu's gaze.

"I didn't mean to punch you." He said scratching the back of his head smiling. "It was meant for Gray." That ended up earning him a punch on the skull from the ice mage. "What was that for?!" Flames licked his right fist.

"Enough you two!" Lucy placed her hands on her hips giving them a disapproving look as Happy perched himself of her shoulder.

"You should listen to Lucy. An angry Lucy is a scary Lucy."

Both boys ended up nodding in agreement.

"Is that right?" Lucy growled pulling Happy's cheeks.

"Lucy is scary!" he cried out and Natsu quickly snatched him from her grasp.

Zax watched the interaction not knowing how to feel. He remembered witnessing similar interactions between them when he was a child, but that was years ago. Seeing his mother and Gray alive again and so young was leaving him reeling.

"So," Natsu nudged him grinning. "What did you come here for? Are you planning to join?"

"I—"

"Or maybe you need to give a message to someone?!" He placed a fist under his chin striking his thinking pose. "But for who?"

"Natsu would you let him speak!" Gray snapped.

Before Natsu could retort Lucy elbowed him signaling him to keep quiet, making the fire dragon slayer pout a bit.

Zax found himself biting back a small smile. He missed this Natsu who was loud and could barely contain himself. "Actually it's both."

"Both?" Lucy and Gray said at the same time, while Natsu grinned.

"I need to speak with Master Makarov. Do you know if he's busy?"

"Don't worry," Natsu wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Ji-chan makes time for everyone!"

The next thing Zax knew he was being pulled toward a set of stairs.

"Natsu!" Lucy yelled from somewhere behind them. "He's doing paperwork with Laxus!"

"Even more reason to barge in!" Natsu yelled over his shoulder. "They both need a break!"

* * *

Laxus could feel a headache coming along as he glared at the newly made pile of paperwork that were filled damages. He had half a mind to go downstairs and beat Natsu and Gray black and blue instead of using his lightening to fry them.

"Laxus…" Makarov glanced up from his paperwork to peer at his grandson to see him glaring at the pile of paperwork they had to go through. He bit back a smile for a moment remembering how it felt to be in Laxus shoes when Master Precht had been showing him the duties that consisted of being Master.

"We were almost done." He growled as if willing the paperwork to turn to ashes.

Mavis who sat at the end of the table chuckled. "You should look at it as a good sign."

"How?" Laxus looked at her in disbelief.

"It shows the spirit of the guild." Her green eyes lit with merriment as she smiled. "It's very much alive and thriving."

"That is a very excellent point Number One." Makarov. "Now with that said, Laxus get back to work."

"When you said that paperwork was a formidable opponent," Laxus said as he grabbed one fourth of the pile and placed it in front of him. "I thought you were lying jiji."

"Now you know better." Makarov threw his head back and laughed.

"You're not helping my headache by being as loud as Natsu."

"Laxus." He gave him a disapproving look.

"Ahh, there it is." Laxus placed his elbow on the table and his chin on his hand grinning. "That disapproving look I'm so fond of. I was wondering how long it was going to be before you showed it to me again."

Mavis watched silently amused as Makarov whacked his grandson upside the head, but she could tell it was an affectionate one and the glower that appeared on Laxus face was faked.

There moment was disrupted by none other than the cause of the paperwork piling up again and Laxus' headache. "Ji-chan!" Natsu Dragneel stormed into the office dragging someone in beside him.

The new arrival instantly caught her interest when he went tense at the sight of Makarov and Laxus.

Laxus looked over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at the fire dragon slayer. "Natsu."

"Laxus!" Natsu raised his fist. "Fight me!"

"What have I told you about barging into jiji's office while we're doing paperwork?" His voice a growl. "Namely when most of the paperwork is because of your doing." Lightning sparked on his right hand.

He cracked his knuckles while grinning, feeling pumped for a fight. "Even more reason to take a break and fight me!"

Laxus shook his head feeling his headache get worse. He couldn't even remain mad at the Salamander like he wanted to. Whatever higher being that existed and watched over them was more than likely purposely making his day a living hell. "It wouldn't be a break if I'm fighting you."

"Natsu." Makarov cut in deciding to take sympathy on his grandson. "Who's the young man standing beside you?"

"Oh yea!" Natsu patted the guy beside him on the back. "This is Zack Drefilia! He wanted to speak to you and see if he can join the guild."

Mavis continued to look at the stranger. Each person has a unique feel to their magic and so when one mage is close to another mage they can feel the familiarity in it. Like in a guild, nakamas can feel it and the Masters are even more aware of it. Mavis could feel the magic that hovered harmlessly over the young man, _He's using glamor magic… but why?_ And yet his magic felt in a way familiar to her. _How peculiar?_

She watched carefully as Natsu treated the young man warmly. For the most part the Salamander could at times be a good judge of character for he saw what others didn't. He was more open minded and hearted which allowed him to be more understanding than others. The young man next to him, they don't know who he is and should feel like a stranger, but he didn't. Instead he felt like one of their own… _How is that possible?_

"You should have seen the way he appeared in front of Gray!" Natsu said excited. "He came in a bright light! His light is as bright as Lucy's when she summons her spirits!"

That had Mavis meeting Makarov's gaze. She was able to locate Lucy's magic signature to see she was still in the guild and then sensed the young man's to see that a portion of it was similar to the celestial spirit mage. _That can't be._ She saw the same disbelief in Makarov's gaze.

Makarov felt weary about the young man that stood in his office. His magic called to his own. He only ever felt like that when it came to Ivan and Laxus and that was because they were his family by blood.

Laxus had noticed the silent looks that conveyed messages between his grandfather and Mavis. He didn't like being left out, but decided to remain silent for the time being knowing that now was not the time to question them.

"If you wish to join I have no objections, but first I want to hear about how you came here." He glanced at Laxus and then Natsu. "Privately."

"Ji-chan—"

"Jiji—"

"I will not repeat myself brats." He gave them both a sharp look. "Now get out."

"It's okay." Mavis said when they both glanced at her. "I'll keep an eye on them."

"Fine." Laxus sighed standing from his seat and turning to face the stranger. He paused in front of him not really knowing why and frowned. "Have we met before?" He asked feeling his magic give out a spark.

* * *

Standing in front of his father after not seeing him for over five years left him feeling vulnerable and yet he did all he could to push back his emotions so his face wouldn't betray him. So his magic wouldn't act up. "No, we haven't."

"Hmmm…" Laxus shoved passed him and dragged out a struggling Natsu.

Zax released the breath he didn't know he had been holding in when the door closed behind him. His shoulders fell in relief. Once they were alone silence settled between him and his grand jiji. He quickly looked around hoping to see Master Mavis as well, so she could help them out but didn't see her. _That's strange. Freed said she would be here._

"Is there someone you're looking for?" Master Makarov asked suspiciously not liking the way he felt connected to the young man before him. He had no other blood relations other than his son and grandson and he knew that Ivan did not have another son. _Could it be that this is his magic's doing?_

"I was hoping Master Mavis would be here as well?"

"What do you mean?"

"She was once known as the Fairy Tactician and we're gonna need her help if we are to succeed."

"Succeed in what?"

"Is there a way for you to get her here?" He saw the way his grand jiji glanced to the right end of the table. "Is she already here?"

"Who are you really?" Makarov asked his voice hard.

"My real name is Zax Dreyar." Zax said meeting his grandfather's gaze. "I'm your great grandson."

"That can't be possible." His small hands clenched into fists. "Stop playing games."

"I'm not!" Zax snapped. "I'm from the future! A future where Fairy Tail is about to die and mostly everyone we love and hold dear is dead!"

Makarov remained silent taking note of the desperation in Zax's voice and form. He could have easily told him he didn't believe him and kicked him out, but he couldn't. There was something keeping him from acting out against him. He glanced at Mavis.

"He reminds you of someone, doesn't he?" Mavis stood from her seat and approached Zax who could not see her. "I saw the similarity when Laxus stood in front of him. Ask him to lower his glamor spells."

"Are you wearing any glamor?"

Zax didn't hesitate to take off his contacts and cut the magic from the runes and dye.

Makarov watched with wide eyes as honey brown eyes stared back at him silently imploring him to believe, and saw the same shade of blonde hair he used to have when he was younger, the same shade Laxus had now.

"No wonder he has a similar signature to Lucy's magic." Mavis looked over her shoulder at Makarov. "He has her eyes."

"Who's your mother?" Makarov asked already knowing the answer but needing it confirmed.

"Lucy Heartfilia."

"No wonder Natsu was very close to him and wants him in the guild. Without realizing it he sensed a part of Lucy as well as Laxus in Zax." Mavis told him.

"I'm stuck between wanting to believe you and not wanting to." Makarov told his future great grandson. If he was part of the guild like he said he was then he would have been able to see Mavis. There can only be two options on why he couldn't. "Where is your mark located?"

"On my back below my left shoulder."

"Can you show me?" Makarov watched silently as Zax lifted up his shirt and revealed his back. He felt his heart stop beating for a moment when he saw that there was no mark on his great grandson's back.

"We know that he's not lying." Mavis said frowning. "There can only be one reason why the mark is gone."

Makarov fought back a wave of sadness and put on a mask. "There is no mark Zax." He saw the way the young man went rigid, his hands fisting the shirt and knuckles turned white. "Do you know the reason why there would be no mark?"

"Otousan and Natsu-nii told me." His voice trembled. "You either get kicked out, the guild has been disbanded or the master and its members are…" He squeezed his eyes shut when they began to burn.

The old man wanted to place a hand on him, but a part of him feared that the young man would break. Instead he got the stamp of the guild and walked over to him.

His eyes snapped open when he felt a small press on his back below his left shoulder, where his heart lay . Standing in front of him looking sympathetic was Master Mavis. "I… they're… I should have…"

"How did you time travel?" Mavis asked him trying to get his mind to focus on something other than the death of his loved ones.

"Natsu-nii was the one who gave us the idea. He said my mother did it once."

Makarov and Mavis shared another look remembering what Natsu and Lucy told them about Mira Lucy and how her mark was no longer on her hand, and the price they believed she had to pay.

"He had Freed, Levy, and Lia look into it." Zax swallowed feeling his throat constrict and forced the words out. "They said I needed the consent of my celestial spirits namely Horologium, who would get sacrificed, but I knew they weren't saying the truth." He remembered all the zodiacs that stood around him and faded into light. _They knew the cost and none of them told me._ He thought to himself feeling betrayed. "Loke, Capricorn, Aries, and the others… they all knew and they didn't tell me."

"They must have had their reasons."

Zax turned around to face his grand jiji surprised.

"They knew that you wouldn't go through with it if you knew the price."

"Of course I wouldn't!" Zax hands curled into fists. "They were my nakama!"

"But then how else would you have changed the future?"

"I would have found another way to go back."

"You're wrong." Mavis said gently. "Time is lost magic that most only use in combat. To use it outside of combat means a price must be given. You would always have to sacrifice something. Time travel requires life and in all the cases the caster is the one who gives up their time. The only exception was Lucy, Rogue, and now you." She frowned. "What year do you come from?"

"X813."

"Twenty years in the future!" Makarov looked at him in disbelief. "Rogue had only come from seven years in the future."

"Can you tell us more of what happens twenty years from now?"

"I can do more than tell you. I can show you."

Makarov moved from behind his table to stand in front of Zax. "Show me." He said as Mavis hovered behind him. He watched his great grandson's eyes glowed with runes. The room around him melted away and memories he never experienced began to echo in his mind.

* * *

AN: First I would like to apologize for any grammatical errors. I try to catch them, but I'm not really good at it. Now with that out of the way I would to give a huge thank you to: **Natalie**, **Guest**, **Golden**, **lucyeucliffe00**, **Blessed Unrest**, **Guest**, **tab1012**, **Lunanight19**, **supercrazyperson**, and **PrettyStarsInTheSky** for reviewing along with everyone who added this to their **favorites** and/or **alerts**! You guys gave me the courage to continue with this. Thank you so much! You guys are so awesome and sweet and if I could I would spoil all of you with hugs, sweets and affection. :D

I'm already working on the next chapter. About a good proportion of it will consist of memories of the future so be prepared to see more of Mira Laxus and Mira Lucy. ;) More will be revealed about what happened in the future and why Zax had to travel to the past. I've been dropping clues about what happened and what's going to happen, so I'm curious to see what your thoughts are on it or if you caught what I'm trying to do. ;D If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask! :) I'll try to have the next chapter up soon. ^^


	3. Chapter II

"_Zax!" Makarov picked up his three-year-old great grandson. "Look at how big you've grown," he said smiling, "and much heavier too. What have your parents been feeding you?"_

"_Are you calling my son fat?"_

_Zax turned his head to look at his father, who was glowering at his great jiji._

"_Maybe you're just growing weak with your old age." Before Makarov could say anything Laxus snatched the little one from his arms and placed him on his shoulders. _

_Zax latched onto his father's spiky hair and gave his great grandfather, who was looking at them in disbelief and his mouth gaping open, a toothily smile. _

"_Laxus be nice." Lucy reprimand her husband none too gently as she smacked his arm, which didn't faze the lightning dragon slayer one bit. _

_Laxus tsked and looked away. _

"_Now give him back Zax."_

"_He called our son fat."_

"_You know he didn't mean it like that."_

"_He meant it in no other way." His arms crossed over his chest trying to appear tough even with Zax fisting his hair and dropping a kiss on the top of his head before giggling. _

"_He meant it affectionately."_

"_No, he wants our kid to have self-confidence issues and that's something I won't abide by." _

"_It's impossible for our kid to have self-confidence issues with the way you keep an eye on him and everyone in the guild spoiling him."_

"_Says the one that babies him the most."_

"_Now give him here." Lucy raised her hands waiting for Laxus to pass Zax back to her, but when he didn't she glared. _

"_Not until he apologizes to my kid."_

"_You mean our kid and he's doesn't have to! Zax isn't even phased by his words." As if to prove her point Zax let out a peal of laughter as a fireball sailed over his head curtesy of his uncle Natsu who was on the first floor fighting his uncle Gray. _

"_I told those bakas to stop fighting when Zax is around." Laxus growled as he took Zax off his shoulders and handed him gently to Lucy._

"_Otousan." Zax grabbed his coat sleeve with a pout._

_Laxus peered down at his son wanting to be strict with him, but at the same time not really as he remembered the way he felt when his father treated him so. He has more memories of his jiji being there for him. Most of his happy childhood memories consisted of being with his grandfather. He knew that he would not be the man he was today without his gramps. _

_He glanced at the old man and sighed when he saw his eyes glistening with tears. "You can stop with the water works. It's not like I would really keep Zax away from you… even though you did call him fat." He smirked when Makarov glared at him. _

"_What Laxus is trying to say is that you're one of the best things in his life and he can't fathom ever taking that from our darling son." She said beaming at Laxus, who gave her a disapproving look, as she gently pried Zax's hand from her husband's coat._

"_How many times have I told you to stop saying stuff like that?"_

"_How many times have I told you to speak from the heart and not with your pride?" She countered. _

_Multiple curses and the sound of tables breaking reached their ears. "This is far from over." Laxus told her as he ruffled his son's hair affectionately with a lightly spark licked hand. When he pulled his hand away, he smirked as Zax's hair stood up just like his but spikier. He pivoted and walked away thinking about how he was going to punish Natsu and Gray. "Just know that if you drop Zax there will be consequences." He said already knowing that Lucy was passing Zax to Makarov._

_The old man chuckled meeting Lucy's gaze as she positioned Zax to sit on his shoulders. "Then it's a good thing Laxus doesn't know that he himself was dropped as a baby."_

"_I heard that!"_

* * *

"_You said this was a story full of happiness." A seven-year-old Zax glowered at his mother when she closed the book she just finished reading._

"_It is."_

"_He dies!" Zax snapped feeling his eyes burn with tears. "How can it be happy when he dies and doesn't know if everything he did worked?! How can that be the ending?!"_

"_It's not the ending." She told him softly wiping away a tear that slid down his face. _

"_What do you mean?" He asked her hopefully._

"_Remember the last line. It said, 'Zack had one last chance to get it right.' So what can we conclude from that?"_

"_It's not done."_

"_Exactly." Lucy carded her hand through his silky blond strands. "The ending has yet to be written."_

"_Will he get it right this last time?"_

"_No matter how hard it got he never gave up, so without a doubt I believe he will." She said pulling him into her arms and holding him close._

"_When will the ending be written okaasan?"_

_He did not see the way his mother's eyes glistened with tears. "Hopefully not for a really long time."_

"_If the author doesn't I will make the ending!" Zax looked up at Lucy smiling. "I will write the ending like you do for your stories. I will make it so they all live and are happy!" _

"_I'm sure you will."_

_The smile wilted from his lips when a tear drop landed on his forehead. "Okaasan."_

"_I love you."_

"_Why do you cry?" His small hands small tried to wipe her tears away. "Do you want me to get otousan?"_

"_No sweetheart," She kissed his cheek. "I just want to stay here longer with you."_

'_I'll be as strong as Zack Drefilia.' Zax thought to himself as he kissed her cheek before wrapping his arms around her neck never wanting to let go. 'I'll protect okaasan and everyone.'_

* * *

_Zax woke up in the middle of the night to get some water when heard his parents' voices. He tiptoed closer to their door being mindful to the fact that his otousan could hear his approach, but knew he hadn't been detected yet when his parents continued to talk. _

"_You're not going and that's final." He heard his father say._

"_Laxus, I'm not asking for your approval."_

"_Good because I wasn't going to give it—"_

"_Mirajane already did, so I'm going."_

"_You have another thing coming if you think I'm going to let you walk out of this bedroom tomorrow morning."_

"_I'm asking you to trust me."_

"_This isn't about trust Lucy!" Zax bit his bottom lip when he heard his father's yell followed by the sound of thunder rumbling outside of their home and lightning flashed in the night sky lighting the dark hallway he stood in. "This is about us surviving what is coming our way! The only way I see we can make it is if we stick together!"_

"_You're wrong. This is about us living and fighting for our future. I don't want history to repeat itself."_

"_Don't you think I know that? I don't want it to repeat again. I don't want Zax to suffer because of our failure… but he wrote that you will be the first one…"_

"_Laxus we can't think about—"_

"_I can't lose you Lucy."_

_Before Zax knew what was happening he felt someone place their hand on his mouth and picked him up. His parents' voices fading as someone took him back into his room and placed him gently on his bed, tucking him in._

"_You should be sleeping, Zax-sama."_

_He looked up at Capricorn worried. "Why does otousan not want okaasan to go with Natsu-nii tomorrow?"_

"_Laxus-sama is simply worried about Lucy-sama."_

"_I get that, but okaasan is strong and so is Natsu-nii. If anything happens to her while otousan and I aren't there she'll be able to protect herself and she has Natsu-nii to help her."_

"_Of course, Laxus-sama knows this but that still does not stop him from worrying."_

"_Capricorn, can you train me like you do did okaasan?" His grip on the blanket tightened. "That way I can join her and Natsu-nii on missions and otousan won't have to worry about her."_

"_That sounds like a most excellent idea Zax-sama, but then Laxus-sama might feel a little felt out that he can't go to missions with the both of you."_

"_He'll be able to." Zax grinned. "I'm sure he can get Erza to look after the guild while we are away."_

* * *

_Zax felt like his stomach was in knots, his body trembled with anxiety, and he had to sudden urge to throw up._

"_Zax," Wendy placed a hand on his clammy forehead. "Are you feeling sick?"_

"_No." He said simply, his eyes glued to the guild doors. Earlier that day his father had left the guild abruptly. He heard the guild members whispering about his father leaving because of his mother. 'Otousan went to get her back.' Yet the sickening feel that something had happened or was going to happen did not leave him._

"_They'll be back soon." Mirajane tried to reassure him with a smile but it did nothing to calm him. _

_His fear calmed when he heard a loud boom outside of the guild. 'Otousan is back with okaasan and Natsu-nii!' He ran to the doors._

"_Wendy!" _

_Zax froze a few feet from the doors for he had never heard his dad yell like that. The fear returned with vengeance as the guild doors burst open. _

"_Wendy I need you to help Lucy!" _

_He stood in shock as his father held his mother in his arms, while Natsu lay battered and bloody by his feet. The scarf Igneel had given him was now black and silent tears ran down the fire dragon slayer's cheeks. _

"_Natsu!" Happy yelled as he flew toward them. "Lucy!" _

"_She's not breathing!" Laxus yelled._

_Zax couldn't look away from his mother. She looked to be sleeping with her eyes closed, but her body was too still. She looked like that porcelain doll Mirajane and Freed gave Lia for her birthday. Beautiful and lifeless. And his father… he couldn't begin to describe his expression. He looked like he was in pain… so much pain that his eyes glistened with tears, but there was no wounds on him. The pain was tearing him from the inside out._

"_Take her to the infirmary!" Makarov yelled as Wendy ran to them. _

_Cries of disbelief echoed through the guild as they all rushed to help them. Zax could only watch in denial and helpless as his father ran passed him, not seeing him. It would be the last time he would see his father holding his mother and it would be the last time he would ever look at his mother without tears in his eyes. _

_Wendy and Levy ran after them. Ezra shortly followed carrying Natsu with Happy right behind them. _

_One moment he could see them and the next they were gone. _

"_Zax."_

_He heard someone calling him. The voice sounded familiar, but so far away. _

"_Zax, look at me." _

_He felt a hand on his shoulder, but his chest hurt. Zax pressed a hand over his heart. _

"_You need to breathe."_

_His body trembled. He felt cold. _

"_Zax."_

_Zax was forced to turn around and met his uncle Gray's gaze. _

"_I need you to listen to me." _

_He shook his head. "I wanna see okaasan."_

"…_That's not possible right now."_

"_I don't care!" He shouted not caring that he was attracting attention and tried to pull away from Gray. "I wanna see okaasan!" _

"_Zax calm down." Gray said trying to keep a soothing tone even though he was hurting inside at the loss of a friend he viewed as a younger sister. It was hard for him to look into Zax's eyes, who were so much like Lucy's. The thought of never hearing her laughter or seeing her smile again almost brought him to his knees. _

"_Why won't you help me Gray-nii?"_

"_Zax…" He let him go seeing Bickslow and Elfman along with Droy and Jet gather closer ready to catch the boy if he dared to run. "I can't. Not this time." _

_Zax looked around seeing familiar faces that echoed with sorrow, but none of them would help him. He felt like he was trapped in a nightmare. He didn't want to be here anymore. Zax squeezed his eyes shut trying to will himself to wake up from this nightmare. That when he opened his eyes he would be in the place he felt closest to his parents. _

"_Zax!" He heard them all yell as he felt a spark ignite in his veins. _

_The roar of thunder echoed in his ears, but it only lasted for less than a handful of heartbeats. When the sound quieted down and the smell of strawberries and thunderstorms filled his lungs, his eyes snapped open. He was no longer standing in the guild. _

_He was in his parents' room. The place he felt closest to them. He could remember it was here that he would always find one or both of them when he woke up frightened in the middle of the night. It would be here where he would hide when he played hide-and-seek with his mother. _

_Zax pulled the cover off the bed and wrapped it around him before crawling under the mattress and curling into a ball. It was here he would hide and it would be here he would continue to hide until his mother found him again. _

_He didn't know how long it was before he heard rapid footsteps and frantic voices, but none were his mother's. Zax watched through half lidded eyes as they walked in the room, but none thought to look under the bed. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed for them not to find him. In the end their voices faded and their footsteps carried them somewhere far away from his sanctuary. He didn't bother to open his eyes again and let sleep take hold of him. _

_The sound of thunder roaring had his eyes snap open and lightning flashing in the room had him close them again. _

"_Zax!" His father bellowing his name had him curl into a tighter ball._

_There was nothing he could do as he felt a hand grab his foot. "No!" He screeched, his nails scratching the hard wood floor as he was pulled from under the bed. _

_Laxus took no mercy on his son as he grabbed him from the back of the shirt and lifted him off the ground so they were eye to eye. "What the hell were you thinking?" he growled._

"_Let go of me!" Zax thrashed around kicking his legs and swinging his arms, but it only succeeded in making his father angrier. _

"_Answer me!" He roared shaking him. _

"_Laxus." Makarov stepped into the room. "Let him go."_

"_You don't get in this!" Laxus spat at his grandfather. "He's my son! He will answer to me!"_

"_Can't you see that he's frightened and hurting?"_

_Zax didn't want to cry in front of his father. He hadn't done so in years, but this was the angriest his father has ever been with him and his mother wasn't there to calm him. 'Okaasan.' He squeezed his eyes shut not being able to hold Laxus' gaze._

_He never saw the way the anger crumbled from his father's face. He didn't see the way his gaze softened with relief before sorrow echoed in it as he lowered him to the floor. He didn't see the tears that glistened in them and Laxus was forced to close his eyes in order to keep them at bay. _

_Zax placed his arm over his eyes when he couldn't stop the tears from coming down. "Gomen otousan." His voice cracked. It hurt to speak. He felt the pain right in his chest. "…I wanted okaasan to find me like she always does." It hurt to breathe._

"_Zax, look at me."_

_His body trembled as he bit back a sob. _

"_I need you to look at me." This time his father's voice did not sound from above him, but right in front of him. "Do you think you can do that for me?"_

_Zax used his sleeve to try and wipe his tears away before bringing his arm down, but it was futile. No matter how much he wanted to stop crying he couldn't. He looked at his father with tear-filled eyes. _

"_She won't be able to come look for you anymore." Laxus cupped the back of his son's neck. "But I can and I will. If you ever need space just tell me instead of leaving without a warning. I need to know that you're safe." When Zax nodded he tugged his son forward and pressed his forehead against his shoulder. _

"_It hurts right here." Zax hand fisted his shirt over his heart. _

"_That's a good thing."_

"_How can it be a good thing?" _

"_It shows that we loved her."_

"_Will it always hurt?"_

"_No… one day it won't hurt."_

"_Otousan…" Zax grabbed onto his father's shirt desperately._

_Laxus placed a hand over his son's fist when he saw the knuckles turn white and remained silent waiting for him to continue._

"_How are we going to live without her?" With his forehead still pressed against his father's shoulder he didn't see the way his father squeezed his eyes shut or his great grandfather grit his teeth as tears silently streamed down his face. _

_Laxus cleared his throat. "We'll have to take it one day at a time."_

* * *

"_Do you think this is a good idea?" Zax heard Gajeel ask his father. The iron dragon slayer stood guard of the door they were trying to get through. _

_Laxus stood with his arms crossed over his chest. "Zax wants to see his mother one last time." _

_Zax looked up and met red orbs. His eyes narrowed on him. "You will either let me through or I will force my way through." He will not let anyone stop him from seeing her once more. "You decide."_

"_You're just like your old man." Gajeel patted Zax's head. Laxus simply glared at him in response for his comment. "Gray is in there right now." He informed them stepping aside. _

"_And Natsu?" Laxus asked._

"_No one has seen him since he left the infirmary not even Lisanna."_

"_He'll come back when he's ready. Not even he would miss her…"_

_Zax looked up at his father when he didn't finish his sentence. His father seemed to be struggling with something. He would sometimes get this pained look on his face and Zax knew his father wasn't injured physically. Whenever he saw that expression Zax knew his father was hurting over the loss of his mother._

"_You're right about that." Gajeel sighed as he opened the door. _

_Zax stepped in see his uncle Gray sitting on a chair. His forehead was pressed against the mattress Lucy lay in. A white sheet covered her body. He looked up when he heard them enter. His eyes were red. "I'll be going."_

"_You can stay Gray-nii." He told his uncle as he stood up from his seat. _

"_There's no longer a need for me to." Gray walked toward Zax and patted his head. "I already said my farewell to her." Just as he was about to exit the infirmary he paused by Laxus. "If there's anything you need me to do…"_

_Laxus nodded acknowledging his words._

_Gray walked passed Gajeel who closed the door behind them to give the Dreyar family some privacy. _

_Zax took a seat on the empty chair. "Can I see her?" he asked when his father stood on the other side of the bed. "I want to see her one last time."_

_Laxus gently lifted the blanket from Lucy's face and carefully folded it over her shoulders. His fingertips trailed over the blanket and stopped when he felt her hand. _

"_I love you okaasan." Zax whispered to her as he gently touched her hair like he had done countless times before when they used to take a nap together during the day and he would wake up before her. "I will always love you." He saw movement in the corner of his eye and glanced to the side to see his father holding his mother's hand as he pressed his forehead against it. Zax quickly looked away when he saw his father kiss the ring on his mother's hand._

* * *

_Zax sat on the grass as he watched his father dig with his own hands. He didn't know how much time had passed. The sunset had been setting when he found his dad and now the sky was dark with only the moonlight and stars being their only light. There were times he saw his father's shoulders tremble as he dug. He never stopped. Not for water. Not for a moment to take a deep breath. He just kept going. _

_It wasn't until years later Zax will come to realize that his father cried while he dug his mother's grave with his bare hands. _

"_Gomen."_

_Zax held tightly on to his mother's keys as he felt his heart skip a beat at the sudden voice that came from behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Natsu. "Natsu-nii."_

"_I couldn't protect her." Natsu came to stand behind him and crumbled to the ground like a marionette that had its strings cut. He latched onto Zax. "Gomen Zax… Laxus." _

_It would have been easy to blame Natsu. It would have been easy to shove him and yell at him because he trusted him to bring his mother back safely. But his mother taught him better than that. He knew it wasn't Natsu fault. Even his father took the time to tell him that Natsu had tried his best. His father was sorry that he hadn't reached his mother in time. Zax gritted his teeth as tears streamed down his face and his body shook with repressed sobs._

"_It's not your fault." Laxus spoke for the first time. "I should have gotten their sooner."_

"_You know that's not—"_

"_Have the others arrived?"_

"_All five guilds that said they were coming arrived."_

"_Five?" Zax looked at Natsu confused._

"_Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and Quatro Cerberus."_

"_They all came…" _

"_They wanted to pay their respects to Lucy." _

"_Your okaasan touched many lives and made many friends." Laxus said as he climbed out the hole he dug. "The world will be a darker place without her." He whispered, but Natsu heard him and inclined his head in agreement. _

_Natsu cleared his throat. "So, this is where she's going to be buried?"_

"_She always liked coming here." Laxus looked at the night sky to see the stars shinning bright. "She could see the stars here. Now her friends will always be able see her too." _

"_Otousan," Zax spoke once silence settled over them. "What are we going to do about okaasan's keys?"_

"_I'm not sure yet."_

"_Do you think we can keep them?"_

"_We don't know how to use celestial magic."_

"_I know a bit. Capricorn was teaching me. He can open his own gate."_

"_He won't be able to without you summoning him to make a contract."_

"_What about Yukino? She can teach me…" _

_Laxus saw the determination in Zax's eyes. He had seen it countless time in Lucy's. He knew from years of experience that it was better to support their decision then go against it. "If you're certain then I see no problem."_

"_Arigatou Otousan."_

"_Natsu." Laxus narrowed his eyes on the fire dragon slayer. "You're on guild arrest until further notice."_

"_You can't do that!"_

"_I just did." Laxus crossed his arms. "I won't repeat myself again. You're disappearing act had everyone worried. I won't ask where you went because I know that Lisanna is planning on interrogating you and Ember isn't happy with you."_

"_I know." Natsu sighed feeling the anger drain from him. He should have at least written a note for Lisanna before he left the infirmary without warning, but he wasn't thinking. Losing Lucy had flipped his life in the worst possible way. It hurt more than when Igneel left him because at least he knew that there was a possibility that he might see the dragon again, but Lucy… He didn't have that benefit of the doubt with her. She was dead and he would never see again no matter how much he wanted to. _

"_I need you in the guild."_

"_Do you think it has started?"_

"_He wrote that her death would be the beginning and jiji told me that there have been sightings of Acnologia again. Zeref and Acnologia appearing again is not a coincidence."_

"_The beginning is the end is the beginning." Natsu held tighter onto Zax, who stated quiet. _

_Laxus met Zax's worried gaze. "We have to find a way to protect our future."_

* * *

_Zax found it fitting that the day they were to bury his mother the sun was out. It didn't burn him, but felt warm on his skin. The wind was cool as it caressed his skin. It was a beautiful day. He was grateful it didn't rain because this weather reminded him of his mother. Calm and peaceful. If he closed his eyes he could almost feel his mother's warmth as she hugged him. _

_He bit his bottom lip as he followed his father to where all the bouquets of flowers were stationed a couple of feet from his mother's coffin. _

_Laxus grabbed two roses. One he gave to his son before making his way to his wife's coffin. He placed the rose gently on her coffin. His hand trembled as it lingered over the rose. He only pulled his hand back when Zax placed his rose on the coffin after kissing it. He stepped back and watched as his great Gramps, Natsu, Gray, Ezra, Mira, Lisanna, and Evergreen, everyone in Fairy Tail made a line to grab a rose and place it on Lucy's coffin. _

_Then it was Sabertooth. Sting as the master of the guild went first holding his son Weis followed by his pregnant wife Yukino and his best friend Rogue. Zax watched as Sting and Rogue looked at Yukino worried. Tears streamed down her face. It looked like at any moment she would collapse. She was one of his mother's closest friends. He had seen her in the guild and over at his home. The few times he spoke to her she was kind to him. She had a shy sweet smile. He liked her. _

_Yukino stepped away from the coffin and made her way toward him with the twin dragon slayers trailing behind her protectively. She struggled to get on her knees and when Sting or Rogue tried to stop her she glared at them. Zax stayed silent when Yukino smiled at him. She pressed a gentle kiss against his cheek and wrapped her arms around him. He melted in her embrace and wrapped his arms around her as his head laid on her shoulder. She felt warm and safe._

_A year later it will be this kiss and hug he remembered vividly when his father told him about Yukino's death. Her death will be the second one that had the world crumble under his feet. The illusion of peace will die with her. _

_When she lets go and was about to stand Laxus was the one that helped her up. _

_The coffin was lowered to the ground and Zax felt tears burn his eyes for the first time that day. He couldn't breathe and took a step forward, but the hand on his shoulder grounded him. "Otousan… I…" He didn't know how to explain to his dad that he wasn't ready to let go of his mother. It didn't matter that his mother was dead. He wasn't ready. He felt like a part of him was getting buried with her. _

"_I know." Laxus whispered to his son. He felt the same way. Half of his heart was being buried before his eyes. _

_This time Zax could do nothing to stop the sob that escaped passed his lips and echoed around them. He couldn't stop the tears or the cries that ripped out of his lungs even with his hand pressed against his mouth. His body shook and for a moment he thought that he would fall to the ground if it wasn't for the arm that wrapped around his waist. _

"_It's okay to cry." His gramps whispered to him. "There is no shame in it. There is no need to hide it when you're surrounded by family and friends. Let it all out. Let the heavens hear it."_

_Zax tilted his head upwards and cried. _

_He cried like the first day he was born into this world. _

_Loud and unrestrained._

* * *

AN: I apologize for any grammatical errors. I try catching them… but yeah. I'm splitting this chapter up into two parts because it's a lot of scenes and I don't want to shove them all together. On top of that this freaking chapter left me emotionally exhausted. I'm sorry for taking so long to update. I've been working more on my other lalu fics, but I want you guys to know that I'm not abandoning this fic. Updates for it are going to be slow, but it will get done.

I want to give a huge thank you to: **lucyeucliffe00**, **Blessed Unrest**, **Moonlight Starlove**, **Guest**, **Please Notice Me Sempi**, **griffindork93**, **Kimboslice98**, **Leafy**, r**andomfanficfans**, **shamssia**, **OgaxHilda**, **tab1012**, **Escana**, **kurahieiritr JIO**, and **Strawberry Cake is Life** for reviewing as well as everyone who has added this fic to their favorites and/or alerts. You guys are awesome!

By the next chapter the memories will be done and it will return to the present time. I hope you guys are liking it so far. Please don't forget to review telling me what you think. I would love to hear what your thoughts are on in this chapter. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. :D


	4. Chapter III

"_Do you have everything packed?"_

"_Yea." Zax looked over his shoulder to see his father standing in the doorway of his room. "You said to pack lightly."_

"_Good." Laxus entered the room and took a seat on his bed. _

"_When will we be coming back?" He asked as he pulled the drawstring of his duffle bag to close it._

"_I'm not exactly sure." His father sighed as he fell on his back and laid on the bed looking at the ceiling. "But I know it won't be for a long time."_

_Zax threw the duffle bag on the floor and laid on the bed next to him. His father's warmth gave him strength to face the future no matter how scary it seemed to be. "Why do we have to go?"_

"_You know why." _

'_To keep the people of Magnolia safe.' He turned his head to look up at Laxus. "But you said that Acnologia wants total destruction, what's gonna stop it from coming after them even with us gone?"_

"_Nothing will be able to stop it," Laxus turned his head look down at Zax. "But we know for a fact that it's hunting the guilds down."_

'_Quatro Cerberus.' Zax remembered when they heard the news of the fate that fell upon that guild. It was one of the first to fall. No survivors were found. "Is ours next?"_

"_There are a couple more before us, but I'm not taking any risks. Our nakama have left we're just waiting for jiji."_

"_Ember?"_

"_She's safe." Laxus bit back a grin. It was never too early to develop feelings for a certain someone. "She left with Natsu and Lisanna this morning." Fairy Tail had been split into five main groups that will travel into five different locations that are supposed to be safe to meet with other Mages from different guilds. _

"_Good."_

_Laxus gaze roamed toward his son's bookshelf to see an old familiar black leather bound book. "You're not taking that book?"_

_Zax followed his gaze and frowned at the object. "No, it's not something necessary. It'll only weigh me down."_

"_Laxus! Zax!"_

"_And that's our cue to go." Zax sat up and reached for his duffel bag before standing. "I'll see you at the front." He didn't look back as he walked out the room._

* * *

"_Are you scared?"_

_Zax looked over his shoulder to see his father approaching. "You heard the roar. Aren't you?"_

"_I would be a fool to say I'm not." He said coming to stand beside his son. _

"_What's taking gramps so long?" _

_Laxus remained silent as he continued to look at the city of Magnolia. _

"_Do you think something could have happened to him?" _

"_No… I would have felt something." Laxus glanced at him. "If you ever need help don't hesitate to ask."_

"_Help?" Zax looked at him confused. "Otousan, what are you talking about?"_

"_If in your future you ever need help don't hesitate to come to me. Be honest and I will listen. I will help."_

"_Otousan… why are you telling me this?"_

"_I just want you to know in case of anything."_

"_You're creeping me out. What aren't you telling me?"_

"_It's not about telling you. It's only hunches I have." Laxus looked up toward the darkening sky. "There's no point in telling you if I don't have evidence. I don't want to worry you anymore than necessary."_

"_I'm already worried." _

"_Then we should just leave it at that."_

* * *

"_Otousan," Perhaps it was the recent deaths of Gray and Mirajane that had the words slip out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Don't leave me alone in this world." Their deaths weren't exactly recent since they happened months ago, but they still felt it. Even more so since the moment his father had made his intentions known of going off with his great grandfather to see if Acnologia was on their trail again. After losing contact with Blue Pegasus it become more difficult to avoid the Black Dragon. His hands curled into fists to keep from grabbing onto his father's coat sleeve. He wasn't a child anymore. He was twelve going to be thirteen in a month, but even so it took all he had not to follow his father. _

_Laxus stopped in front of the doorway and glanced over his shoulder to see Zax glaring at the floor. "You'll never be alone."_

_He looked up surprised that his father would address the matter. _

"_So long as Fairy Tail exists you'll never be alone." Laxus lifted his right hand and waved as he walked away. _

_Zax couldn't explain why his eyes burned with tears. 'Take me with you!' He wanted to yell at his father's retreating back, but the words remained lodged in his throat. They already had an argument about it and Zax didn't want to continue to argue or stay mad at his father not when it was not certain if he'll see him again._

_One would think that he would greet death like an old friend since the last five years it had been coming for his family and friends. But all he felt was dread. 'Who will be next?' It was a sick feeling to have. He feared the future. _

_He could only stay behind and hope that his great grandfather and father returned. 'Come back.'_

* * *

_They never did. _

_No matter how many times Zax sat outside the front doors. _

_No matter how many hours he spent looking at the horizon waiting to see two familiar silhouettes._

_Instead an old friend returned. He didn't rejoice when Gildarts stopped in front of him. One look into the Crash Mage's eyes told him everything. "Gomen Zax." His words put a stop to any words of denial. _

_Anger coursed through his veins as he ran passed Gildarts. There was no space for anguish or tears for his heart at the moment could only hold fury. He reached the end of the property and punched at the barrier that stopped him from going further. His fists slammed repeatedly against it causing Freed's runes to appear an angry red in front of him. _

_At that moment he didn't care. His mind was set on going after Acnologia and killing it. His fists lit with Regulus as he continued to attack viscously._

"_Zax!" Loke's yell sounded faraway. "Stop!"_

"_I'll tear it limb from limb!" He wanted the Dragon to feel his pain. He wanted it to hurt like it had hurt him. "But not before tearing its wings off!" He wanted it to fear him and know that death was coming for it. "I'm going to kill it! I'm going to fucking kill it!" He cried out the words as Loke pulled him back. _

"_Zax, you need to calm down!"_

"_Let me go!" He thrashed in the lion's hold._

_Capricorn appeared before him. "Zax-sama."_

"_I'm going to kill it." His vision blurred. _

"_You need to breathe." The Goat Spirit instructed calmly even though it was concerned._

"_Rip it limb from limb." His voice cracked as the will to fight against his spirits bled from him. _

"_We know." Loke told him gently._

"_I'm going to make it cry." He blinked and tears slid down his face. _

"_And when that time comes we'll be there to support you." Capricorn vowed._

* * *

_To Zax it didn't matter what his father said about never being alone. He felt alone even with the remaining Fairy Tail members around. He understood they were his nakama, they're his family, but that doesn't stop the void from forming within him. It doesn't stop him from realizing that he no longer had a father and great grandfather._

_He was the last Dreyar. He was supposed to lead and protect Fairy Tail, but he didn't know how to go about it. He was lost and felt isolated from them. He didn't know how to bridge the gap that had formed between them and him. _

_Zax was in the room his father had made his office and sat on the seat that his old man used to. He leaned his head back and looked at the ceiling. He didn't know how long he remained like that lost in his thoughts that ran in circles. _

"_Zax."_

_He sat up quickly caught off guard by Freed. _

"_I understand that you may feel lonely, but I wanted you to know that you're never alone. We are here for you."_

_His words cracked the glass of numbness that had encased his heart. _

"_So long as Fairy Tail exists you'll never be alone." _

_Hearing again the words his father once spoke to him shattered it. Tears blurred his vision._

_The weight of Freed's hand on his shoulder slowly pushed away the feeling of loneliness that haunted him. _

_Tears slid down his cheeks and his body trembled as he took a deep breath. His hand fisted his shirt over his heart. 'It hurts.'_

_This time his father wasn't there to tell that the pain was a good thing and his great grandfather wasn't there to tell him that it was okay to cry. _

_This time he fell apart silently with only Freed watching over him reminding him that he wasn't alone in his pain._

* * *

_They were not given the luxury to mourn for more than a few days because Acnologia was on the move again. Gildarts had informed them that it was heading their way. They had to move east and reunite with Sabertooth. _

"_Do you want to talk about it?" Mavicks asked as he leaned against the doorway._

"_No." Zax stood in the middle of the room his father had claimed as his bedroom. His father's knapsack lay be the side of the bed unpacked. _

"_Have you finished packing?" _

_He grabbed it and yanked it open before spilling all of its content on the bed._

"_We leave in half an hour."_

"_Like I give a shit!" Zax snapped and glared at his nakama. "I'm not going!"_

"_What do you mean?" Mavicks pushed away from the doorway and approached him. _

"_I'm going to find Acnologia and kill it." _

"_Baka." Mavicks grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him close until they were glaring at each other. "Ji-chan and your otousan couldn't kill it. My otousan, Natsu-ojisan, and Wendy-obasan are Dragon Slayers and they can't kill it. Not even Sting-san and Rogue-san can kill it. What makes you think you can?"_

_Zax remained silent as he felt anger curl in the pit of his stomach. _

"_Stop acting like a brat and do as Freed-sama says." He let go of his shirt with a final glare and stormed out of the room. _

_Once again Zax turned to his father's items and felt the anger drain from him. His hand trembled as his fingertips brushed over a photo of his mother smiling as she held him as baby in her arms. His gaze traveled to another photo beside it. This one showed his great gramps letting him sit on his shoulders when he was toddler. They were both smiling without restraint. He moved that photo and saw one last photo underneath it. _

_He lifted it up carefully as his vision became blurry. He was a toddler as well in this photo, but this time instead of his great gramps or mother holding him it was his father. He carried him in his arms and they were surrounded by all of Fairy Tail. Everyone was smiling or laughing. In his father's case he was smirking and his mother had her head thrown back in laughter. _

_Zax took a seat on the bed as his gaze traveled over so many familiar faces. 'So many that are no longer with us.' He squeezed his eyes shut not wanting to cry anymore, but the photo felt heavy in his hand and the tears refused to be held back. _

_His left hand blindly brushed against an object. He felt leather under his hand. His eyes snapped toward it. His heart trembled at the sight of the black leather bound book. _

'_This is a story full of happiness.' His mother's voice echoed in his mind. _

_And Zax found himself opening it and reading it once more, but this time without his mother._

* * *

"_Do you think time travel is possible?" Zax asked as he laid on his back and looked up at the star filled sky. He couldn't remember the last time he let himself do this… take a really good look at the stars. The stars his mother had loved so much. The stars he had caught his father looking up at multiple times when he was on watch duty and everyone was supposed to be sleeping. 'Did they remind him of okaasan as well?' _

"_Well yea…" Mavericks looked up from the book he was reading and glanced at him. "The Eclipse Gate made it possible."_

"_Eclipse Gate?" Ember asked as she rolled over to lay on her belly and propped herself up on her elbows to peer over Zax and met Mavericks gaze._

"_Natsu-ojisan never mentioned it to you?"_

_She shook her head. _

"_It was a Gate that made time travel possible."_

"_I thought it made multiple dimensions." Lia titled her head in contemplation. Her silver hair cascaded over one shoulder. _

"_I think it did both." Mavericks glanced at her and quickly looked away when her azure colored eyes met his hazel ones. "Once it was destroyed the original timeline was restored."_

"_Original timeline…" Zax muttered causing the others to look at him. "Does that mean everything that has happened was meant to happen no matter what?"_

_Mavericks and Lia remained silent. Ember reached for Zax's hand._

"_Does that mean okaasan, otousan, jiji, Mira-oba, Gray-oji and all the others were destined to be killed by that fucking dragon?"_

"_I can't say that with certainty because I want to believe that this isn't our destiny." Mavericks closed the book he held in his hands. "I want to think that we have a chance to change all of this."_

"_Time travel gives us that chance." Lia met Zax's gaze. "What made you think about it?"_

"_I was reading this story okaasan read to me once. It's about a protagonist traveling into the past to save his family."_

"_And does he?" Mavericks asked interested._

"_I don't know."_

"_What do you mean?" Ember looked at him confused. _

"_The story wasn't finished."_

"_It sounds interesting." Mavericks grinned. "Mind letting me borrow it?"_

"_Sure."_

* * *

"_Time travel might not be out of our reach." _

_Zax looked at Mavericks surprised. It had been close to two years since the first and only time they spoke of time travel. "What are you talking about?"_

"_That story you let me read. It got me thinking." He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "Zack traveled six times… well seven if you count the last one he was planning but was never written."_

"_It's just a story." _

"_And sometimes stories can carry certain truths." _

_Zax frowned when Mavericks grew quiet. "Is there something you know that I don't?"_

"_Naw," He shook his head. "It's just a hunch."_

"_Tell me about it."_

"_What will you be willing to sacrifice in order to travel to the past?" Mavericks asked him ignoring what he said. _

"_Anything and everything that I am." Zax told him truthfully. _

_He smirked. "I knew it." _

"_Knew what?"_

"_That you're gonna be the one to go into past."_

"_You make it seem like it's possible."_

"_If it is I'm sure that okaasan and Freed will be able to find it."_

"_They're looking into time traveling?"_

"_Yep. Even Erza has joined in by contacting Crime Sorciere. It seems that Jellal was close friends with a Mage that used Time Magic."_

_Zax was blindedsided by the new information. He had no idea that his nakama believed in the same thing he did. The thought of changing what happened, of not losing his loved ones and of walking the streets of Magnolia again filled him with hope. The thought of being able to open the guild doors again and see his entire family alive and happy again made his very being ache with longing. He wanted that so bad. _

"_Mavericks!" _

_Both teenage boys almost jumped at Gajeel's shout. _

"_And that's my cue to go." Mavericks pushed off the wall. _

"_You're heading out with Gajeel-oji?"_

"_We're going on a scouting mission." He rolled his shoulders backwards to stretch the muscle. "To see if we catch any sighting of that Black Dragon."_

"_Be careful out there." Zax stuck out his hand._

"_Aren't we always?" He grinned as he clasped his best friend's hand, tugged him forward and pat him roughly on the back. "You make sure that this place is still safe and standing until we get back."_

"_Of course."_

* * *

"_They should have been back by now." Zax said as he came to stand beside Gildarts. _

_Gildarts frowned. "It's been two days."_

"_I can go—"_

"_No." The Crash Mage cut him off. "You know what Freed and Erza would say."_

"_So do we just…" The words died off when he saw a tall figure in the horizon. It was moving slowly and swayed side to side with each step. He felt dread pool in the pit of his stomach. His feet moved on their own accord. "It's Pantherlily!" He ran forward when he saw the Exceed carrying someone in his arms. It was Mavericks. _

_Red._

_Blood._

_They were both coated in it. _

"_Gildarts get Wendy!" He yelled at the top of his lungs as he continued to run. "What happened?!" He stopped in front of the Exceed. _

"_Zax…" Mavericks said through gritted teeth. A hand pressed against a wound by the right side of his stomach. Blood seeped through his fingers and dripped on the dirt. _

_Zax took his best friend into his arms just as Pantherlily was forced back into his small form. "This can't be happening."_

_The Exceed fell forward unconscious. _

"_Gomen Zax." Mavericks whispered to him. _

"_Don't say anything." He could feel his body tremble in his arms. _

"_This was not the life I wanted." His eyes misted with tears. "I wanted to go back home… to Magnolia… to the guild."_

"_We will." Zax promised him. "You'll see."_

_His response was a sad smile. _

"_Wendy-obasan is on her way. She'll make everything better."_

* * *

"_Okaasan," Mavericks whispered weakly to Levy. "I want to speak with Zax in private." _

_Levy opened her mouth to argue, but in the last moment bit her bottom lip and squeezed the hand she held in both of hers. _

"_Okaasan, it's going to be okay." _

_She lifted his hand to her lips and pressed a kiss against his knuckles. "I love you."_

"_I love you too." _

_Zax looked away to give them some privacy. He only turned his gaze back to Mavericks when he felt Levy's hand card through his hair as she walked out the room. They remained silent until they heard the door close. "Do you want me to get Lia?"_

_He shook his head as his eyes misted with tears again. "I don't want her or okaasan to see me like this." The tears fell from the corners of his eyes as he continued to look at the ceiling. His hands fisted the sheets. "I should have never gone with otousan. He would still be alive if I stayed behind. Lily wouldn't be as hurt."_

"_You don't know that." Zax walked to the bed and took a seat on the end of it. "He could have still died." His mind went to his father and great grandfather. Before he could spiral down that painful memory he felt toes lightly nudge his lower back. "We're gonna go home."_

"_I won't be able to." His voice cracked. "Not this time."_

"_Don't say that!" Zax snapped. "You're coming home with me! We're gonna get rid of the fucking Dragon and we're gonna go home!"_

"_We are, but it's gonna be a long time before we do."_

"_How can you be so certain it's gonna be a long time?"_

"_It's just a hunch."_

_His eyes burned with unshed tears. _

"_When you go back in time—"_

"_Why do you keep saying that?" Zax looked at him helplessly. "How can you be so certain that it's possible?"_

"_This can't be our fate. Being hunted and hiding in fear. Not being able to live. I refuse to believe that this is all life has to offer us. Not after our parents told us how much they lived. I want to live!" He cried out. "This can't be our fate…"_

"_Mavericks." Seeing his best friend breakdown in the face of death made tears slide down his face. His hand blindly sought his and held onto it for dear life. _

"_I'll be waiting for you on the other side. When all is done, I'll be waiting on the other side and then we'll finally be able to go back home." _

"_You're not making any sense." He pressed his hand over his eyes. The tears would not stop no matter how much he wanted them to. _

"_This is a story full of happiness." _

_Their life wasn't a story and if it was then it was a fucked up one. Happiness was nothing but a dream and reality was a nightmare._

* * *

_Mavericks had been right about one thing. _

_He would not be going home. _

_Instead Mavericks was buried ten feet underground in the backyard of a cottage they would be leaving in three days._

_Levy's muffled cries, Pantherlily's silence, and Lia clinging desperately to Ember reminded him of this fact._

_Zax would stand guard at night in order to escape it. _

_He would sit on the field of green and if he closed his eyes he could almost make himself believe that Mavericks was sitting beside him reading. But when he opened them he was alone and it was then the tears would come. _

_He rested his elbows on his knees, his head bowed. Not even the stars could offer him comfort. His shoulders shook with the force of his grief._

_A pair of arms slid around his shoulders, a warm body pressed against his back, a smell of crackling hot oak wood filled his lungs. _

_Ember didn't say anything as she held him together._

* * *

"_If you can have one wish," His voice pierced the night as they looked up at the stars. "What would it be?"_

"_I'd go back to the day we met." _

_Zax ripped his gaze from the celestial lights above to look at the girl lying beside him. "Do you remember that day?" He asked surprised because he hardly could. Ember had always been there since he could remember. _

"_No." Her lips curved into a smile. "But I know that was when we were the happiest."_

"_The happiest…"_

"_When we could say goodbye to our loved ones and not fear that it would be the last time we would see them."_

"_Ember."_

"_I want us to go on an adventure again and be able to go back home." Her voice cracked._

_He brushed one of her tears away with his thumb. _

"_I want to push open those double doors and be greeted by everyone… just once more. I want to feel that one more time." Ember covered her face with her hands as more tears spilled and her body shook with her sobs. _

"_Me too." Zax turned his body toward hers and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I want that too." He pressed his forehead against the side of her head._

* * *

"_Do you believe that time traveling is possible?" _

_Freed, Levy, Erza, and Cana had looked up when Zax slammed open the door to the library. They each shared a glance amongst each other before Ezra nodded. _

"_How?"_

"_We are still gathering the information." Ezra cleared her throat. "Jellal should be arriving shortly to help sort some inquires we have."_

"_What kind of inquires?"_

"_The price for time traveling." Levy took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. _

"_The price…" Zax frowned thoughtfully. "Something must be given in exchange."_

"_Precisely." Cana collected the cards she had spread over the table. "Equivalent exchange."_

"_Whatever it is, I'm willing to give it up if it means we have a chance to change all of this."_

"_We all are." Freed walked up to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I'm really glad to see that you're dedicated to this plan."_

"_There are many things I want to do and promises I want to keep." It involved him having to go back in time to make it all happen. _

"_I'm certain you will be able to do them all." Freed gave Zax's shoulder a comfort squeeze._

* * *

Makarov was able to see that in the end they had accomplished what they set out to do, but the cost had been steep. "My brats… my poor brats." Tears streamed down his face. Everything they had suffered, everything he couldn't protect them from. Perhaps now he will be able to now. He wiped his tears away with his forearm.

Zax bowed his head as the memories opened wounds he thought had been closed.

"Oh child, my great grandchild." Makarov placed his hand on his shoulder. "I need you to look at me."

He shook his head stubbornly.

"I truly am sorry that you had to experience that fear and pain and the sacrifice you had to make to get here."

He shook his head again. "There was no sacrifice on my part… I'm still here."

"You're wrong. You gave up the only life you ever had to come here. All the memories you made with your loved ones no longer exist in this world except for in your mind and heart. The friends you grew up with don't exist. You came here knowing that you would be alone in this. You alone carry all their hopes."

Zax swallowed feeling his throat close up and squeezed his eyes shut when tears threaten to come out. He had cried enough tears to last a lifetime and didn't want to shed anymore.

"But I won't let you be alone." He glanced at Mavis to see her nod. "We won't let you be alone. We will face this together."

* * *

AN:I apologize for any grammatical errors. This second part has been a long time coming and hella difficult to write. I didn't think it would as emotionally draining as the last chapter, but I was horribly wrong. I wanted to focus some scenes on the new generation of Fairy Tail because they also played a key role in Zax's life and I wanted to show their struggle with what was going on, but they screwed me over in the feels department. I'm freaking mess. Anyways I got my fingers crossed that this chap somewhat made up for the wait.

Now I want to thank: **Cato Yugi**, **OhMyLayla**, **Raiza-chan**, **PrettyStarsInTheSky**, **Yuuki Heartfilia-Dragneel**, **Lucy Dreyar14**, **imaginesakura**, **Moonlight Starlove**, **tab1012**, **LittlePrincessNana**, **rockifi**, **XxShyxX**, **papalogia**, **kittentf**, , **Blessed Unrest**, **PBUnicorn** (I'm so sorry for your loss *hug* At a young age I did lose a loved one, but writing the last chap I took a bit of everything I felt over the years when I would get a call telling me that one of my family members passed away. Everything Zax experienced hit close to home. He acted out in the way I wish I could have. He had the support that I ached to have when I felt like I was drowning in my sorrow.), **Luciole** (I got my fingers crossed that this chap lived up to the hype of the other three.), **johanvy-chan**, **BSunkissed** (The sad part is over… for now), **JFK**, **XxEnErGeTiCxX** (I'm slowly getting around to updating all of them X) ), **iheartpickles**, **agent oppa**, (Don't worry, Lucy will. You're thinking in the right track! =D ), **Guest**, **Dreyar is my married name** (I can promise you one thing and that's this fic will have a happy ending… no matter how painful it can get), **XxStaysmilingxX**, **SuperPsycoNutcase**, **LinDragonDreyer**, **Aipom4**, **Erza Uchiha**, **12Rayne** and **YourOwnBeat1307** for reviewing along with everyone who added this fic to their favorites and/or alerts. You're responses to this fic have been phenomenal. Thank you for taking a chance on reading it.

The next chapter will consist of Makarov and Mavis plotting and Zax adjusting to being what is now the present for him. Please don't forget to review telling me what you think. I would love to hear what your thoughts are on this chapter. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. =)


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